Treetop Tots Update

Thursday, July 20, 2017

by Lincoln Park Zoo

in

New Arrivals

0 comments

share this:

Lincoln Park Zoo celebrated the births of four primate youngsters from December 25–April 29. The new arrivals represent four different primate species. During their infancy, as they clung closely to their moms, their sexes weren't yet known. As they’ve grown, they’ve become more independent, their fur coloration has changed, and their sexes (except for one of the four) are now known. Three of the treetop-dwelling little ones have also been named. Here's an update with recent photos:

“E.B. has transitioned to adult coloration, although her face hasn’t yet darkened,” says Curator of Primates Maureen Leahy. “Her mom, Kutaka, still carries her a little bit, and the baby still comfort-nurses, but she’s eating solids. E.B. is very independent and often plays with her older sister, Nairobi.”

“We named her after Argyle Street in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood,” says Leahy. “This species is native to Southeast Asia, which is also strongly represented by that neighborhood’s Vietnamese community. Argyle has lost nearly all of the orange coloration of her infancy and is almost all black already. She's part of a large social group of eight individuals with a diverse age range. She’s pretty independent, and plays with her older brother and sister.”

“Tsingy is a Malagasy word for the rugged limestone terrain—known as karst—in the northernmost part of Madagascar, where this species lives in the wild,” says Leahy. “Males develop a distinct black crown of fur, surrounded by orange. You can see that beginning to develop with Tsingy.”

“The baby’s face has changed from pink to black and developed more structure,” says zoo keeper Caitlinn O’Brien. “The baby is still nursing, but also eats fruits and vegetables now. The baby hangs onto mom most of the time, but has begun to leave mom’s side and explore the habitat a bit. Older sister Bailey wants to interact with the baby, but mom Cece isn’t trusting her with the baby just yet and has been very protective.”